Damper control



Sept. 24, 1940.

z. ROSEMAN "ET AL 01 DAMPER CONTROL Filed Jan. 17, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 MENTOR-S: ZOLTAN ROSEMAN ADOLPH Row-l p 4, 1940. 1 z. ROSEMAN El AL 2,216,101

mum; QONTROL Filed Jan. 17, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTORS: ZOLTAN RosEMAN ADOL H ROTH I ,U'LNITED STATE Patented Sept. 24, 1940 5 .PATENT'OFFICE 3 DAMPER CO'NTROL I Zoltan Roseinan-and Adolph Roth, Cleveland,

Ohio, assignors to land, Ohio 7 Application January 6 Claims. -(c1.'126 2ss) invention relates to dampers and particuinstalled in a conventional fireplace but showing larly to adjustable dampers used in residential fireplaces. 7

The principal object of the invention is to provide an adjusting device for regulating the fireplace draft more conveniently and with more ease than is possible with the prior art devices.

- Another object of the invention is to provide such device with a control lever that operates manually in a substantially straight line for a comparatively short distance.

7 A further object is to have the principal operating lever within easy reach of the user, where it may be seen and where it is out of the way of the flame; the heat and the soot of the grate.

ordinary operation.

These and other objects as well as a'fuller understandingof the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims together with the accompanying drawings which like parts are designated by like reference characters, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view of the imin a proved damper of this invention installed conventional fireplace;

1 Figure 2 is a. vertical section takenalong the lines 2-2 of the Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the damper unit alone showing the operating mechanism in greater detail;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism taken along the lines and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of the Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken alongthe lines andinthe direction of the arrows 5-5 of the Figure 3;

Figure :6 is a sectional view of the hinge construction and assembly employed in this invention;

Figure 7 is a side View damper is closed but about to be opened;

Figure 8 is. a similar view showing the damper wide open;

Figure .9 is a view like that of Figure 8 except that the damper is shown as being locked in position;

Figure 10 is a similar view showing the damper unlocked and about to be closed; Figure 11 shows the damper' as partly open position;

Figure 12 is a side sectional of the operating mechanism showing position of the parts when the being setin a view of a damper Violet Roseman Saunt, Cleve- 17, 1939, Serial No. 251,387

a modified'form of operating mechanism;

. Figure 13 is a side viewof the modified type of damper showing the damper locked in its open position;

Figure 14is a front view of the operating mechanism taken along the lines and in the direction of the arrows |4-|4 of the Figure 13; and Figure 15 is a view similar to that of Figure 14 showingthe operating mechanism unlocked and about to be closed. v

The damper unit of this invention consists broadly of three main elements, namely: the dome or vault section, the movable plate member and the plate member actuating and setting device of this last element, there are two forms. The first form is designed for direct manual operation and thesecond form is intended to, be

regular hooked fireplace ,poker.

The dome-or vault section ismade of substantial and durable cast metal. It consists of a recin central portion. The rectangular plate 2| is designed. to be horizontally set and permanently built'into a fireplace 22 just a little above the lintel 23 and in the chamber generally designated asthe flue and'which is indicated in' the Figures 1 and 12 of the drawings by the characvter 24.

Extending laterally upward from and on the about 45 is a heavy rigid wide plate 25. In the same manner but on the wall side of the plate2l there projects upward a relatively narrower plate 26.

'Two smaller and also rigid triangular side horizontal plate 2|.

small horizontal slots 28 quite close to and in line nearer to the side edges of the plate 26 than to its vertical center. The edges of the wide plate 25,

opening up too far. The top portion of the stops used in connection with an auxiliary rod or a tangular plate 2| having a large openingin its room side of the. plate 2| and at an angle of plates 21 extend upward and inward to connect the side edges of the plates 25 and 26 with the The narrow back plate 26 is provided with two 4 with the top edgethereof. The slots 28 are I 5 are attached to the wall edge to prevent the movable plate member from:

30 projects perpendicularly upward for about two inches. The bottom portion is drilled to accommodate simple screws which engage the plate 26 a little below the horizontal slots 28.

The movable plate member consists of a fiat oblong metal plate 3| just large enough to close the chimney opening. It has attached to it or integral with its bottom horizontal edge, two curved tongues 32 which fit into and articulate within the slots 28.

The tongues 32 project inwardly at an angle from the plate 3| their bottom surfaces are concave and are provided with short tabs 33. The

concave surfaces of the tongues move easily on the convex edges of the slots 28 as is shown in the Figure 6. The tabs 33 prevent the plate 3| from accidentally becoming separated from the plate 26. In assembly, the two plates 26 and 3| are first linked together and vthenthestops .39 are screwed in place. The tongues 32 can only be inserted or removed from the slots 28 when thestops 30 are not attached thereto.

Near the top edge of the movable .plate 3| and on its inside surface there are two parallel U shaped metal guides 34 whichforma track and a channel for engagement with and the movement of the cam lever unit hereinafter described.

The movable plate member actuating and setting device of the preferred form and which is illustrated on the first two sheets of the drawings consists of a stout metal bracket --4| firmly attached to the inside of the rear plate=26 with suitable bolts 42. Extending inward andupward from the bracket 4! are two parallel vertical lined arms 43. A suitable pivot 44 is secured between the arms 43 on about a plane with the'horizontal plate 2|. Upward and a little to the inside a pin 45 is similarly fastened. The latter pin 45 serves to properly space and brace the arms 43 and also acts as a stop or detent for the ratchet 54 which will be described indetail later. Above the pivot 44 a second horizontal pivot 46"is similarly secured;

a Connected to the second pivot 46 and extending substantially upward therefrom is the'cam lever 4! which engages and operates in the guide tracks 34 and channel 35 of the movable plate member. The cam lever 41 is solid or closed at its top 49 and bottom 52, but is slit'or openat' itsmi d' section so as to form a longitudinal channel 148.

' The top end 49 is slightly curved so as to fit between the two guide tracks .34 and is retained therein by the horizontal .pin.5| which moves in the channel 35 as the plate 3| opens or closes. The bottom end 52 which plays on the'pivot .46 is set between the arms 43 with friction or tension washers 5 3. These washers 53 tend to retain the cam lever 41 in the position desired but are not strong enough to hold the position for any great length of time. I,

In order to hold the cam lever 41in position without relying on the tension washers 53 a ratchet or pawl-bar 54 is pivotally attachedto the lever 41. The pawl-bar54 is curved; is loosely pivoted at its end 55in the channel- 48. The opposite serrated end 56 engages the detent 45 at different stations depending upon theposition of the movable plate member. The end '55 of the pawl-bar 54 is slightly wider than the mid-section of the cam lever 41; that is, the, pawl-bar is pivoted in and extends outside on bothsides of the channel 48 slightly. This projection is more clearly shown in the Figure 3. of the drawings. The serrated end of the pawl-bar 54 has a small lug 40 projecting from its top to prevent .it from moving too far and falling through the channel 48.

The operating lever or handle 51 is connected to the arms 43 close to its upper end and at the pivot 44. The top end of the handle 51, the portion above the pivot 44 is provided with two curved fingers 58 and 59. The inside or longer finger 58 is comparatively straight and moves between the arms 43 when the bottom end of the handle 51 is manipulated. It also,upon the pulling of the handle, raises the pawl-bar 54 so as to disengage the detent 45 and then it pushes the cam lever 41 outward thereby causing the plate 3| to open or to move toward its vertical position. The shorter and more curved finger 59 acts upon the pawl-bar 54 in substantially the same manner when the handle 51 is pushed outward, but

it instead, presses upon the opposite side of the cam lever 41 and tends to'close the plate 3| instead of opening it. The finger 58 touches the pawl-bar 54 above the pivot 46 while-the finger 59 touches it below the pivot, so that *upon'either a pull or a push of the handle 5'! the initial movement will disengage the teeth from the detent 4 5. Immediately upon reversing the movement of the handle 51 the pawl-bar 54 drops and locks the plate 3| in the position last set. :before the cam lever 41 has a chance to fall with it. The Figure 3 Panel all the figures on the drawings clearly .show the principal steps and relative positions of the parts mentioned foropening and closing the damper.

The modified type of operating mechanism is very similar to the one previously described except that it makes use of a hooked rod or poker 18 for actuating the ratchet 13 instead of fingers.

A supporting bracket 6| having arms 62 is mounted on a rigid narrow plate 26. An operating lever 63 is swivelly connected to the arms 62 at the pivot 64. A slotted cam-lever 65 is pivoted at its lower end 66 with a pin 61. The upper end 68 of the lever 65 is provided with a peg 68 for engagement with the guide tracks 34 and for movement in the channel 35 similar to that of the cam lever- 47. The top end 68 of the cam lever 65 is made with a longitudinal slot 69 which slidably engages the small pin 70 on the top arm of the operating lever .63. A pulling of the bottom arm H of the lever 63 causes the slotted lever 65 to force the plate 3| outward and pushing on the same lever arm tends to close the movable plate member.

The lower arm I! of the operating lever 63 has a comparatively long lateral slot 12 and between the slot 12 and the pivot 64 a ratchet 73 is pivoted. This ratchet 13 has a toothed or serrated :end 14 which at various stations engages the .detent J5 .inaocordance with the existing position of the plate 3| and: there looks it in place. It has a finger '15 extending downward from the end engaging the pivot 11 which finger 16 moves adjacent to and across a lateral slot 1'! 2.

By inserting the hooked .end of a poker 18 in the slot 12 and pulling thereon the plate 3| will tend to rise and open the damper. 'Iihe finger 16 is then loose and the ratchet 13, be-' cause of the special angle at which the' teeth 19 are cut, is free to move. However, when clos ing the damper the poker I8 is pressed against the finger "16 thereby raising the serrated end 14 and which initial movement unlocks the operating lever 63. The subsequent motion of the lever 63 sets the position of the plate 3|. The various important steps of the openingandclosing operations are shown in the Figures 12, 13 and 15 of the drawings.

As conducive to a better understanding and appreciation of this invention, attention must be called to modern residential building construction in which air conditioning and temperature insulation play an important part. vIt is particularly desirable to have such buildings free of uncontrolled draft and therefore a damper control that is highly efficient and which is easy and simple to adjust and comfortable and quick to operate is a necessity.

It will now be clear that there is provided by this invention a damper control which accomplishes the objects of the invention. While the invention has been described in specific forms and while certain general terms and specific language have been used, it is to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as described and shown is suggestive only and is not to be considered in a limiting sense. It is to be further understood that there are other forms or adaptations of the invention. For example, the bracket and arm members may be eliminated entirely. By making one of the side plates 21 perpendicular and by placing the guide tracks 34 on the plate 3| near such side plate 21, the movable parts herein mentioned may be pivoted directly on such side plates 21 and the ratchets may be made to engage knobs or tabs projecting inwardly from the side plates 21. Such modifications and others which will suggest themselves to persons familiar with the art are all considered to be within the broad scope of the invention as nolimitations upon it are intended other than.

those imposed thereon by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section having a chimney opening and adapted to engage a fireplace flue, a movable plate member fitting the chimney opening, a bracket member attached to the vault section, a cam lever mounted on the bracket member and actuating the movable plate member, a pawl-bar engaging the bracket member, and a hand lever mounted on the said bracket member for operating the said cam lever and actuating the said pawl-bar.

2. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section having a chimney opening and adapted to engage a fireplace flue, a movable plate member fitting the chimney opening, a cam lever mounted on the vault section and engaging the movable plate, a pawl-bar pivoted on the lever and engageable with the vault section, a hand lever mounted on the vault section, and a means on the hand lever for simultaneously operating the said cam lever and actuating the pawl-bar.

3. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section having a chimney opening and adapted to engage a fireplace fiue, a movable plate member having a cam thereon and fitting the chimney opening, a cam lever having a cam follower mounted on'the vault section and engaging the said cam, a hand lever having means for operating the cam lever, and a means for temporarily setting the positions of the plate member and the cam lever.

4. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section having oblique sides one of the said sides having a chimney opening, a movable plate member hinged to the said open side and adapted to intercept the chimney opening, a bracket member attached to the open side, a cam device mounted on the movable plate member for swinging the said plate to various positions, a hand lever mounted on the bracket member for operating the cam device, and a means for temporarily setting the position of the plate member.

5. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section having oblique sides one of the said sides having a chimney opening, a movable plate member hinged to the said open side and adapted to intercept the chimney opening, a compound lever unit mounted on the vault section and engaging the movable plate member, a pawl member mounted on the lever unit engageable with the vault section and adapted to temporarily retain the movable plate member at the said chimney opening at various positions, and a means for operating the said plate member and for actuating the said pawl-bar.

6. A fireplace damper, comprising in combination, a stationary vault section, a movable plate member attached to the vault section, a compound lever unit mounted on the vault section and operative with the movable plate member, and a manipulating means engageable with and operating the compound lever unit the said manipulating means having 'a locking device thereon for temporarily setting the position of the said plate member.

ZOLTAN ROSEMAN.

ADOLPI-I ROTH. 

